Students, along with Dr. Susan Carter and Dr. Laurel Vartabedian, performed Dr. Vartabedian’s play, “American Story,” in Colorado.
In May 2013, the students performed “American Story,” a musical retelling of the Ludlow Massacre, in Trinidad, Colo. They were invited back this year to take part in the centennial commemoration of that event, a pivotal moment in American labor history.
The Ludlow Massacre occurred April 20, 1914 when the Colorado state militia attacked and burned a tent city housing striking mine workers who had been evicted from their company-owned homes. As many as 25 people died, including two women and 11 children.
Music major Sarah Waters, who played community activist Mother Jones, was part of the cast both years. Some of her lines were direct quotations from Jones, and Waters noticed the audience saying many of the words along with her throughout the play.
“This was the perfect audience for the production. They have a history with this, and they were with us through the whole show,” she said.
The students arrived for the performance in costume several minutes before their stage time. “Going there, I was thinking, ‘will they know who I am?’” Waters said. “I took two steps into the crowd, and everyone began yelling, ‘Mother Jones! Mother Jones!’ and they wanted their picture taken with me.”
Junior music major Jacob Mills was one of three new cast members this year. “I was pleasantly surprised by the large amount of people who were captivated by the show. The audience was very pleased to see us telling their story.”
The performance was under an open tent, and Mills said the audience kept growing with every song they performed.
Along with Mills and Waters, the performers included students Lauren Bergman, Kaitlyn Christian, Caleb Hazelwood, Jeremy Howe, Donovan Jones, community member Dee Dee Squires and Adrienne Collins ’14. Dr. Susan Carter, director of vocal studies, joined them on the trip, as did Dr. Laurel Vartabedian, who wrote the book and lyrics for “American Story.”
“The people you met and the stories you heard made it a great experience,” Waters said.